Electric exercising apparatus.



'P'atented Dec. 24, 190i. A. OLSON. ELECTRIC EXERGISING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Apr. 1, 1901.)

- 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

v avvuavaroz .fll red Olson Witncono I I l V No. 689,406. Pate'nted Dec'. 24, l90l. I

A. OLSON.

ELECTRIC EXERCISING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Apr. II 190 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

- flfied Olson ALFRED OLSON, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

ELECTRIC EXERCISING APPARATUS.

P11-CIFIICATI N forming part of Letters Patent No. 689,406, dated December 24, 1901.

Application filed April 1, 1901.

T0 ail whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED OLSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Diego, in the county of San Diego and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric Exercising Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesto an electrical exercising apparatus; and the primary object of the invention is to provide, in connection with manually-operated exercising devices,an electric generator, together with means whereby the generator may be carried upon the person and connected with the exercising devices, so that a current of electricity will be transmitted through portions of the body while the person is exercising with the manually-operated devices, which devices may be in the form of dumb-bells or Indian clubs and the like.

The detailed objects and advantages of the invention will be fullypointed out in the course of the ensuing description.

The invention consists in an electrical exercising apparatus embodying certain novel features and details of construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the drawings, and incorporated in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the apparatus applied to a person whose body is represented in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a plan view of an Indian club equipped with a, portion of the apparatus. Fig. 3 is a detail section through the handle portion of the Indian club shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the belt, showing the electrical generator and the case therefor mounted on the belt. I Fig. 5 is a rear view of the carrying-case, showing the means for attaching it to the belt. Fig. 6 is a reduced perspective view showing the employment of a foot-plate in connection with the belt and exercising devices. Fig. 7 is a sectional view of a dumb-bell, showing the hand-grip and an electrical conductor associated with the dumb-bell.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In carrying out the present invention I employ a belt 1, provided with a suitable fastening device 2, adapting the belt to be fastened Serial No. 53,902. (No model.)

around the waist of the person using the exercising apparatus. The belt 1 forms a support for a carrying-case 3, which may be of leather or any suitable material,provided with a flap 4, by means of which the case may be opened to give access to the electrical generator placed therein, the carrying-case 3 being provided with loops or keepers 5, through which the belt passes. The belt has applied to its inner surface a plurality of contactplates 6, connected in two series by wires 7 and 8, which wires connect with the generator arranged in the carrying-case 3.

The generator comprises a base 9, upon which is mounted an induction-coil 10, provided with a movable core 11, by means of which the strength of the current of electricity may be varied to suit requirements, and said core is arranged to slide through an opening in the side wall of the carrying-case, where it is provided with an exteriorl-y-arranged operating-knob 12, by means of which the core may be adjusted. The base 9 is also provided with binding-posts 13 to receive the ends of a pair of electrical conductors 14: in the form of insulated wires, and the base is further provided with other binding-posts 15, to which are connected the wires 16, attached to a battery 17 also arranged within the carrying-case, as shown in Fig. 4. The electrical conductors or wires 14 are made of any desired length and are provided at their extremities with threaded couplings 18, the shanks 19 of which are screwed into a set of dumb-bells 20 or Indian clubs 21.

By reference to Figs. 2and 3 it will be seen that the hand-grip of the Indian club is made separate from the body of the club itself, the body of the club being generally of wood and the hand grip or knob 21 being of metal and provided with an internally-threaded sleeve 22, which screws upon the handle portion of the Indian club, as shown in Fig. 3. The metal contact-strip 23 extends longitudinally of the club and entirely around the same, as shown in Fig. 2, and connects at its opposite ends to the sleeve 22, so that the entire metal strip or band 23 is electrically connected with the hand-grip arranged in the electrical circuit. The dumb-bell 20 is also usually formed of "W006. and is provided with a contact strip or band 24, which extends longitudinally the Indian clubs and dumb-bells, and as the said exercising devices are located in' the electrical circuit it will be seen that during the operation of exercising a current of electricity of any desired strength is caused to pass through a portion of the body of the person so exercising. Under the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 the current willpass through theupper portion of the body of the user and also through the arms and hands.

In Fig. 6 I have shown the adaptation of a supplemental foot-plate 25, upon which the person may stand while operating the exercising devices. This foot-plate will be composed partly or wholly of metal and is pro vided with a binding-post 26 to receive a wire or conductor 27, which may be connected with one of the binding-posts of the generator. For example, the wire 27 may be connected with the positive binding-post, While the other wires 14 may be connected with the negative binding-post. In this way the current will pass almost entirely through the body, arms, and legs of the operator.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have produced a convenient exercising apparatus, by means of which Indian clubs and dumb-bells and the like may be freely handled in the usual manner by the operator, while at the same time a current of electricity of any desired strength may be caused to pass through different portions of the body. ;The application of electricity to thebody and muscles of the operator while he exercises with the manually-operated devices will be found of great advantage in that the electric current acts on the muscles while in motion, and thus tends to compensate for the weariness produced by the vigorous handling of the exercising devices.

I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction and arrangementhereinabove set forth, but reserve the right to change, modify, or vary the construction within the scope of this invention.-

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with manually-operated exercising devices having metallic hand-grips; of an apparel-belt forming a support for an electric generator and having contact-plates on its inner surface; and flexible electric conductors connecting the generator and exercising devices.

2. Thecombination with manually-operated exercisingdeviceshaving metallic hand-grips; of an apparel-belt forming a support for an electric generator and having contact-plates on itsinnersurface; acarrying-case supported by the belt and containing the generator; and flexible electric conductors connecting the generator and exercising devices.

3. The combination with manually-operated exercising devices having metallic hand-grips; of an apparel-belt having contact-plates on its inner surface; an electric generator supported by the belt; and flexible electric conductorsprovided'with terminal threaded couplings adapted to be secured into the exercising devices.

- 4. Thecombination with manually-operated exercising devices having metallic hand-grips; of an electric generator; an apparel-belt having contactplateson its inner surface, and forming. a. support for the generator; electrical conductors extending from the generator to the exercising devices; and afoot-plate electrically connected with the generator.

5. The combination with manually-operated exercising devices having metallic hand-grips of an apparel-belt having contact-plates on its inner surface; an electric generator carried by the belt and electrically connected with the said plates; and electrical conductors extending from the generator to the exercising devices.

6. The combination with man ually-operated exercising devices having metallichand-grips; of an apparel-belt having contact-plates on its inner surface; a carrying-case mounted thereon; and an electricalconductor mounted therein and electrically connected with the exercising devices, said generator comprising a battery, induction-coil, and an adjustable core for said coil, the said core being adjustable through an opening in the carrying-case. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED OLSON. Witnesses:

JOEL ANDERSON, GEO. W. DE LANO. 

